144 
The Queensland Naturalist. 
VoL. I 
TRANSACTIONS 
REPORT ON THE SANDGATE EXCURSION— 12th 
MARCH, 1910. 
ORNITHOLOGICAL AND ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES. 
By Messrs. H. Tryon and R. Illidge, 
Field observations were commenced ir the vicinity 
of the larger of the two SAvamps immediately' to the North 
of the town. One of the first insects encountered was the 
large and peculiar ant, BotJirofonera piliventris, S.m.. an 
insect that occurs in small communities in the soil and is 
peculiar in so much as it emits a mass of froth from its tail- 
end — the product of a special gland. At the foot of the 
tree where it occurred was met with also the interesting 
but common Bombardier Beetle {Pheropsophus verticalis), 
which also discharges with a loud report a fluid substance 
from its tail-end in the form of a cloud-like vapour of a 
yelloAv colour. And under the bark of the same tree occurred 
also in numbers one of the most diminutive of our Click 
Beetles (Elateridce) and a handsome though baneful looking 
Gryllacris. Close at hand an old and much w^eathered 
log was perforated all OA^er by the beetle, Phoracanthagigas, 
that had made these holes in issuing ; and some of them 
AA^ere stuffed Avith small bunch-like fragments of gra^s, 
the AA^ork of another evidently quite unrelated insect. 
ThesAA^amp itself presented a special attraction, insomuch 
as it Avas alive AAuth birds. The Reed Warbler {Acroce- 
pjialus australis) AA^elconied us AA-ith its melodious song, and 
the I^Iangrove Kingfisher (Halycyon sordidus) invited its 
mate to meet the party — in strident notes. The remark- 
able Jakana {Parra gallivacca) stalked over the Avater 
surface, extending its long toes atliAvart the floating Nvm- 
'Ahgea leaves, but again and again bobbing its body up and 
doAvn as it progressed, as if to tumble in. Gliding along 
lanes, intersecting the rushes, Avere examples of Black 
Duck; Teal and Moor Hen {Gallimila tenehrosa), enjoying 
the security provided for them — for it may be remarked 
that the SAvamps are reserves for the preservation of birds. 
And over masses of these leaves walked leisurely large Blue 
Water Rad (Porphyrio melanotus), otherwise known as 
Red Bills; Avith sudden frequency, raising their short tails 
